West of Brooklyn (2008)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Blistering performances.

I don't usually write reviews here either, like most of the other people said so, but as opposed to them, I think it is my duty to warn other people that this is one of the worst movies I've ever watched. One thing I can accept is that the acting was good if not great, but that's all can be said about this movie. There was not a particular plot in the story. Almost 40 minutes of watching, I still had to ask myself "So what is this movie about? What story does it tell?" Well, it doesn't have a particular story at all. It just drifts from one event to another, probably claiming that it is trying to depict a family, but no. Also, there're almost no actions in the movie. People talk about things happened to them all the time, but do we ever see these things happening? No. We just see people talk, talk and talk without seeing anything actually happening. And if that much of talking is not enough, a VO narrator interrupts now and then to tell us what more have happened, or what people feel/think about particular situations - which we don't actually see happening.If there're people who love this kind of story telling, I strongly suggest them to watch plays where they will see what a real drama should look like while people keep talking.

The acting in the film is wildly variable. Marmo, and old warhorses like Torres and Costanzo do quite well in their parts. The scenes of Sebi handling his mother's death, and holding her, then nothing, in that bed, from an overhead shot, is quite emotionally revealing, and shows Marmo and Cistone at their best, and one just wishes that all of the emotions and direction of the film had been as stellar. There are some good supporting performances, starting with the few brief scenes of Cavalieri's Joey, whose warmth, charisma, and good looks make him a presence on screen. How this actor has not made it in a bigger way is beyond me. The same could be said for Fioravanti's Donna, who goes from a smartass bitch to a grieving friend and woman of some insight. And it's not because the role is written that way, but the looks and glances that Fioravanti imbues her character with. The third unexpectedly good performance comes from Pupello's emotionally desperate Grace, who appears in only two brief scenes, but nails an archetype while also putting real pity into her character. The rest of the cast is quite mediocre, to be generous- with the worst offenders being Madio's stale Jimmy Boy, and Jackson as Maddy's father, giving absolutely no life to his curmudgeon. The film score, by Michael Sherwood and Carl Saunders, is top notch, and not too schmaltzy nor too obvious in giving away emotional cues, and well scored by Marmo's wife, Wendy. The cinematography, by Florian Stadler and Daniel Stilling is good throughout, with a few moments of high quality, starting right from the fire at Papo's, which plays under the credits, and economically propels the characters' diaspora westward. The film also suffers from, especially in its first half, too much narration. Sebi is not Woody Allenesque in his powers of observation, and more annoying Daniel Stern from The Wonder Years, and cutting this by 30-40% would have helped, but the overall screenplay, by Marmo, ranges from solid to good.West Of Brooklyn is not a film that will change one's life. It lacks the artistry to be great, and too much of it follows the banal paths of yore. But, at its best, the film subverts many expectations, and showcases Marmo as a genuinely multitalented artist: actor, producer, screenwriter….but NOT poet! It is the sort of work that I, on a personal level, like stumbling upon, as I have with a number of self published books I've reviewed. It is also a film that aptly shows the seeds for later potential, and on that basis, as well the others mentioned, it's worth viewing.

I had the opportunity to catch a screening of WoB and wow, Ronnie was fantastic. Hopefully it will get distributed or available to an audience soon. I think people will absolutely love the film. It has comedy, warmth, heart, friendship, great dialogue, and some great actors including the always fabulous Joe Mantegna. I thought the actress who played Matty, Natalia Livingston, was very sweet and gorgeous, although I'd never seen her in anything before, she and Sebi/Ronnie made a great team. I last saw Ronnie in his one man Lenny Bruce show and he was terrific. This movie just continues to showcase how talented he is. Loved the film and good luck to all involved.

I just saw this film last week in Los Angeles. The director and some of the actors were on hand. I just want to say that it is a lovely movie that has warmth, humor, and tears. I laughed at parts of the movie and cried at other times. I would love to see the movie on the big screen. It is one of those small independent films I think viewers would just gravitate to. The cast is territic and you can see the chemistry they all share. Anyone why has a chance really needs to see it. It is highly recommended. How about the Sundance film festival guys. Get your picture out their. Fans would love it. I hope to see this on the bg screen someday.